If you’ve started your journey in Hollow Knight: Silksong expecting a gentle warm-up before the serious challenges kick in, you may already have been blindsided. Players are discovering that an early, almost nameless miniboss is proving far more vicious than anyone expected. This enemy, called Skarrgard, lurks in the eastern caves of The Marrow, just above the prison, and has quickly earned a reputation as one of the most brutal roadblocks in the early hours of Pharloom.
What makes Skarrgard especially devious is how unassuming he looks when you first meet him. 
He’s simply a hulking red insect swinging a massive bone, not flagged by the game with a flashy boss title or dramatic entrance. He could easily be mistaken for a slightly tougher grunt. But that illusion disappears in seconds once the fight begins. His arsenal includes a sudden burrow attack where he vanishes underground before popping up beneath you, a surprisingly quick leaping smash, and a wide, punishing bone swing. Each blow stings for two whole masks of damage – double what most early enemies inflict – and the cramped cave where you fight him leaves little room to dodge or breathe.
Many players admit that this miniboss feels tougher than Silksong’s actual early bosses. Unlike those encounters, Skarrgard punishes impatience. His underground charge can disorient you if you try to run, his leaps close distance before you’re ready, and the swing of his bone covers most of the tiny tunnel. The claustrophobic setting is as much an enemy as Skarrgard himself, turning what looks like a skirmish into an endurance match.
So how do you beat him? There are two main approaches. The hard way is perseverance: learning his tells, baiting him into the center of the room, and whittling down his health while avoiding panic. Some players suggest dragging him down the tunnel, which reduces how often he can use his jump attack, and darting past him when he burrows to reset your position. It’s possible to wear him down with discipline, but it’s a test of patience more than reflexes. The easy way – arguably the intended method – is to retreat and return later. Once you acquire the dash ability, Skarrgard’s relentless offense becomes more manageable, as you finally have the agility to slip past his bone swings and escape his pop-up ambushes. While tempting to press on for his reward – access to a new area – most players will have more than enough content elsewhere without subjecting themselves to repeated bone-crunching defeats.
This dynamic has sparked debate across the community. For some, Skarrgard is a rite of passage that separates the cautious explorers from the reckless rushers. Others argue that placing such a punishing fight so early risks frustrating newcomers. In truth, this encounter encapsulates Team Cherry’s design philosophy: nothing is handed to you in Silksong. Even enemies without a boss title can humble you, reminding players that danger in Pharloom lurks in every shadow.
Whether you choose to tough it out or return later with new powers, the important lesson is not to be discouraged. Skarrgard is deliberately intimidating, but also a preview of the layered challenges to come. He embodies the spirit of Silksong: unpredictable, punishing, and rewarding to overcome. If you find yourself staring at yet another death screen after being flattened by his bone, know that you’re far from alone. The community is full of stories of players spending hours on this fight, and equally full of triumphant tales when persistence finally pays off.
For now, Silksong players continue to swap strategies, memes, and complaints about this deceptively early hurdle. Some scoff at the difficulty, claiming they defeated him in just a couple of attempts, while others are candid about retreating until later. Either way, Skarrgard has cemented his place as one of Silksong’s most memorable early challenges – not because he is grand or flashy, but because he teaches you that in Pharloom, even the nameless foes can be legends in disguise.
1 comment
seriously tho he hits like a truck, feels way harder than the first real bosses